The Library Vault

Tournament of Books 2025 Recap – How “The Women” Won

The readers have spoken. The Tournament of Books has concluded, and the results are in! Middletown readers have voted Kristin Hannah’s The Women to be the 2025 Tournament of Books Champion! Going into the tournament, many foresaw this outcome–in fact, 65% of all brackets submitted this year predicted The Women to emerge victorious. In a…

Jack B.

April 14, 2025

Book Reviews, Events, Recommendations

Audiobooks, Ebooks, FourthWing, I’mGladMyMomDied, IronFlame, KillersOfTheFlowerMoon, TheWager, TheWomenByKristinHannah, Tournament, TournamentOfBooks
Chickens in the Library?!

Last summer, we had fourteen very special guests in the library: two batches of seven chicken eggs, courtesy of a chicken farm in nearby Wallingford, Connecticut. Of the original 14 eggs, 13 hatched into chicks. The chicks visited with Russell Library patrons for about a week and a half, and then were picked up by…

Amy S.

April 7, 2025

Contests, Events, Inside Stories, Kids and Teens, Libraries, Technology

Chickens, Chicks, DET, EggHatching, Eggs, HangWithTheChicks, HatchTheChicken, PeepShow, RentTheChicken, WebCam
Stressed? Winnie-the-Pooh Can Help

We all need a little tranquility these days. Stuffed bears and other beloved toys certainly gave us tranquility when we were children, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about philosophy. I’m talking about Taoism. I’m talking, of course, about Winnie-the-Pooh. Now what, I can hear you asking, does Winnie-the-Pooh have to do…

Mary

March 24, 2025

Book Reviews

BenjaminHoff, Philosophy, Taoism, TaoOfPooh, WinnieThePooh
New & Fun at the Library

Spring is a time for re-invention. At Russell Library, we love to keep things fresh and fun — especially in the Youth & Family Learning Department. Like kids and families, we’re always changing. The following are some of the new services and activities available in the kids’ wing and (The Space). The Gaming PC Like…

Amy S.

March 17, 2025

Contests, Events, Giveaways, History of Russell Library, Inside Stories, Kids and Teens, Library Services, Technology

149thBirthday, ARPA, BallLabyrinth, Bingo, Bluey, BuilcingBlockWall, BuildYourOwnCoaster, ChickCam, Chromebooks, GamingPC, GearFactory, HangWithTheChicks, NameTheChicks, STEM, TheSpace, YMCA
Behind the Scenes with Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz

By Briana Gagnon and Christy Billings We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for a blog post from two members of our podcast team! Podcast team members Briana and Christy had the amazing opportunity to interview Susan Bysiewicz, the lieutenant governor of Connecticut, for the latest episode of the library’s podcast Middletown Strong. Briana and Christy…

brianarusselllibrary

March 10, 2025

Inside Stories, Middletown, CT

connecticut, CTpizzatrail, government, interview, Librarians, librarypodcast, lieutenant governor, middlesexcounty, middletown storng, MiddletownCT, newhavenstlyepizza, pizza trail, Podcast, podcasters, RussellLibrary, susan bysiewicz

Tournament of Books 2025 Recap – How “The Women” Won

Chickens in the Library?!

Stressed? Winnie-the-Pooh Can Help

New & Fun at the Library

Behind the Scenes with Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz